1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tube clamp for securing a flexible tubular member, for example, a hose to a rigid tubular member, and more particularly to such a tube clamp, which is inexpensive to manufacture and easy to use.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 1, 2A, and 2B show a tube clamp according to the prior art. This structure of tube clamp comprises a transversely grooved metal binding strap 1 having an opening 3 at its one end, namely, the lead end, a screw holder 4 fastened to the opening 3 of the binding strap 1 by its integrated clamping plates 5, and a screw 7 mounted in the screw holder 4 and turned to move the tail end of the binding strap 1 over its lead end in tightening up the tube clamp. The screw 7 has threads meshed with transverse grooves 2 of the binding strap 1. The clamping plates 5 have a respective protruded mounting flange 6 fastened to the periphery of the opening 3. This structure of tube clamp is not satisfactory in function. One drawback of this structure of tube clamp is that the clamping plates 5 of the screw holder 4 tend to be forced away from the binding strap 1 when the tube clamp excessively tightened. Another drawback of this structure of tube clamp is that the formation of the transverse grooves 2 of the binding strap 1 weakens the structural strength of the binding strap 1. Still another drawback of this structure of tube clamp is that the screw 7 tends to be disengaged from the transverse grooves 2 of the binding strap 1 when the tube clamp excessively tightened.
FIGS. 3 and 4 show another structure of tube clamp according to the prior art. According to this design, the tube clamp comprises a metal binding strap 10, the metal binding strap 10 having two end scrolls 11 at the ends thereof, each scroll 11 having the free end H welded to the outer surface of the metal binding strap 10 and two holes 12 aligned at two sides, two metal reinforcing barrels 13 respectively inserted into the scrolls 11, each metal reinforcing barrel 13 having two through holes 130 in alignment with the holes 12 of the corresponding scroll 11, a smoothly arched metal reinforcing plate 16 attached to the scrolls 11 at the inner side, the metal reinforcing plate 16 having two locating flanges 160 respectively stopped at two sides of the scrolls 11, a screw bolt 14 inserted through the holes 12 of the scrolls 11 and the holes 130 of the metal reinforcing barrels 13, and a nut 15 threaded onto the screw bolt 14. This structure of tube clamp still has numerous drawbacks. One drawback of this structure of tube clamp is its complicated fabrication process. Another drawback of this structure of tube clamp is its high manufacturing cost. Still another drawback of this structure of tube clamp is its complicated installation procedure. Furthermore, because the parts of the aforesaid two prior art designs are made of metal, they are heavy and may injure the skin when touched. When exposed to the weather, the metal parts will be covered with rust soon.
The present invention has been accomplished to provide a tube clamp, which eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks. It is one object of the present invention to provide a tube clamp, which is durable in use. It is another object of the present invention to provide a tube clamp, which is inexpensive to manufacture. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the tube clamp comprises a binding strap injection-molded from high strength plastics, the binding strap having two lugs at two ends, and a smoothly arched rib-reinforced extension bearing flange forwardly extended from the first leg and adapted for supporting the second lug and guide movement of the second lug toward the first lug, and a screw bolt inserted through a through hole in the first lug and threaded into a screw hole in the second lug and screwed up with a nut to fix the tube clamp to the workpiece. According to a second embodiment of the present invention, the second lug is detachably selectively fastened to longitudinally spaced hook holes in the second end of the binding strap by a hook joint.